


Blood Red Roses.

by lokiofvanheim



Series: Blood Red Roses [1]
Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-08-09 11:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7799212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokiofvanheim/pseuds/lokiofvanheim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aki knew that Vamps were beautiful and deadly and just on the wrong side of dangerous but when a trawl to net scum pulls in much bigger, biteier fish than he can possibly handle, he finds himself on a totally different menu!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Who traps who?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Delmire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delmire/gifts).



It was surprisingly cold sitting up on the roof where Akihito had wedged himself between an aluminium ventilation shaft and the wall of the stairs that led from the lower floors. The sky was darkening as he took up his perch and wriggled trying to find a position in which his sharp hip bones did not dig into the asphalt below him quite so painfully as he settled down for what he knew might be a very long wait. Below him the narrow street was ill lit and empty and after what seemed like an age of waiting his empty stomach complained so loudly that he pulled out a rather crushed set of seasoned rice balls from his shoulder bag to munch on. No sooner had he begun on his impromptu snack than a sleek black limousine slunk its way slowly into the alley from the busy street beyond and pulled in to park.

"At last!" he muttered stuffing the rest of his snack hastily into his mouth and then quietly shifting his camera up to his eye as he chewed, his shutter clicked.

Below him another car drew to a halt, this one a low slung silver sporty number and stopped next to the other, two figures slid out of it. Click. The thin man with a slight limp that he did not recognise but the woman, implausibly tall in a snug fitting dark suit, was familiar to him, Momohara Ai, a leading Vamp, as slick and as dangerous as any hit man walking the Tokyo streets. Click, click. Oh my, what had he stumbled on here? How were any of these obviously well heeled citizens of Tokyo connected with his tip off about illicit human trafficking?

The heavily set driver of the black car emerged, as the woman settled a luscious fur stole carefully around her shoulders, opening the door to allow his passenger to alight. Click. The man was tall and well built and as the boy zoomed his lens in to get a clearer shot he saw slick black hair stylishly short above a strong chin and a brief outline of an aquiline nose. Click, click.  and... No! Surely that could not be a flicker of molten night eyes? He instinctively froze, two class Vamp acts in Takaba Akihito's view finder at one time? He must have been mistaken, overexcited by the presence of the woman perhaps. He saw the man seeming to look up and towards where he lay but he estimated that they were fifty yards and more away from him and he thought he had made no noise anyway. It was barely a glance and it only lasted a moment but in that second he felt as if a jolt of electricity had run through his body and he involuntarily sucked in his breath trying to will himself back in the shadows behind him. The man looked back at the woman again as she said something to him and he let himself breath out again in one long relieved huff leaving a small puff of condensation on the chill of the night air.

He forced his heart to slow from the staccato rhythm it had adopted and then wished he could hear the brief exchange between the small group as another man apparently on a phone emerged from the front of the limo to join them and his tall passenger turned and drawing the phone user to the side exchanged a few words before rejoining the others. Click. The woman's small companion unlocked a heavily grilled door in one of the buildings that backed into the alley and holding the door open for them he ushered Momohara and the elegant man inside.

Aki settled his back against the tall vent, resting his favourite camera on his bony knees to review the shots he had managed to snap of the elite group before they had gone in and was pleased with the sombre effect that the dim reflected lights had given the picture. The figures looked like characters from some old black and white movie, glamorous and mysterious in their sheik evening wear against the rather seedy background of the alley. Very Art House he thought with a wistful smile. Perhaps the couple were laying low for a reason? An affair perhaps? Maybe he would try and hawk the photos to some of the gossip magazines in the morning to see if he could find a buyer but probably not, let them keep their privacy. He was just beginning to sort the pictures in his preferred order when he heard another vehicle approaching and this one seemed more like what he was waiting for.

It was big, white car, low slung and the engine gave out a throaty growl, expensive he guessed but lacking the sophistication of the first two it slipped to a halt on the opposite side of the street and its occupants got out. This was more like it, the boy thought, picking up his camera again quickly. Click click click! Three men, the two infamous Kuitchi brothers and if that ugly nose was anything to go by the other was one of the lesser sons of old Kumi he realised. They were fashionably clothed in bright polo shirts and rather tight slacks who began talking loudly with each other before a door opened to their right, yellow light and the background sound of dance music poured out. Click click. Several scantily dressed women came out of it to drape their arms around the newcomers shoulders in welcome and their excited voices echoed up to where he lay before they were encouraged inside by their new hostesses.

Click click click click. And then they were gone and Aki let out a contented sigh. Perfect, these photographs would be worth good money in the right hands and the Kuitchi's would have a lot of explaining to do to the authorities to explain their presence here considering they had a life long and city wide restraining order in place. Hopefully the Kobe man would also have fallen foul of the police too but either way two scum bags off his city's streets was a good haul for a chilly evenings work. He pulled himself up on to his knees drawing his bag to him before carefully settling his equipment into the sculpted foam nests he had lovingly crafted for them with a rather blunt pen knife to keep them secure whist at hand during his often unorthodox sorties. He was just sliding the light meter in to its Velcro cradle when he felt, rather than heard a noise as if someone were moving in the stairwell behind him and he drew himself closer into the relative security of the wall to listen.

He could only hear the huff of his own breath, and when he could make out no other sounds he began to move again, though hurrying now, putting the last of his kit into the pocket of his parka and quickly shrugging his canvas bag onto his shoulder. He was stopped dead in his tracks by the stairwell door swung open silently in front of him before he could escape and big, sausage size fingers of whoever was about to emerge became visible at its edge. He stopped breathing again and as slowly and as silently as he could rose to his feet clasping his precious bag tightly to his chest to begin to back away as his mind tried to plan his escape route. A huge figure began to emerge in front of him and he thought he could see the reflection of the streetlights glint off what he thought were glasses as the man looked around.

The boy turned to run for the fire escape and face planted something so hard he would have rebounded onto his butt if a meaty paw had not grabbed his shoulder and hauled him back upright. The human wall was a good foot taller than him and twice as wide but as his adrenaline washed over him he brought his knee up as high and hard as he could to where he judged his captors crotch would be.

"Ooff!" a deep voice gasped above him and the grip loosened enough for him to wriggle free of his jacket and to begin to dodge around the other, desperate now to reach the fire ladder he had used to reach this roof earlier in the evening. He was well known for his speed but to his horror 'glasses' was suddenly in his path and he had to swerve sharply again, causing him to stumble over some cables lying hidden in the shadows. He got fingers down to stop him falling altogether and seeing the handrail to the fire escape only a few yards ahead powered off with his sand shoe to throw himself towards it.

WOOMPH a huge weight hit Aki's ribs, cannoning him sideways before landing on top of him and flattening him against the rough asphalt of the roof beneath its suffocating bulk. He lay on his back with his cheek pressed into the ground trying to feel if there was any breakages from the heavy impact against his slight body. Instead he soon began to panic as he realised that he could not breath with his lungs unable to move beneath the crushing weight of the big man lying firmly upon him.

"Hold that brat there!" He heard a deep voice he took to be 'glasses' as his lungs began to burn and stars began to form behind his closed eyelids as he scratched with his fingernails at the dirty surface his heart beat thundering in his ears.

"The scrawny little devil isn't going anywhere after the kick he gave me" He heard someone say above him and the rumble of that voice echoed through him. Although he could barely wriggle he tried to move the one hand and a lower leg that remained free of his burden and the boy scrabbled with increasing urgency for any purchase with them that might allow him to draw breath.  He wondered woozily if anyone would find him or whether these thugs would consign his pathetic body to Tokyo bay rather than bother with any fall out the discovery of the flattened body of an unimportant photographer might engender for them. The thoughts should have terrified him but they were becoming strangely distant as his brain began to shut down through lack of oxygen and he really could not seem to find the energy to care that much. At least he could get rid of the weight of this great lump lying on top of him and get some peace when he was dead he thought, as his consciousness slipped away.

"You had better let him up," he heard a voice say. "the boss says he wants to speak to him." At that the boy felt his burden lift allowing him to suck a lungful of air in so hastily it made him cough and his body jerked up in a spasm, grasping out with a hand for anything that might steady him. Unfortunately his support was the dark trouser leg of the big brute that had shortly before pinned him down and he was shaken off by the man as if he were dog muck stuck to a shoe. He hugged his sore ribs with his own arms as his swimming vision began to settle enough to see the big mitt that grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him up to dangle like a misbehaving puppy in front of the blond behemoth.

" You will do as you are told if you know what is good for you, kid!" the man grumbled and the boy realised that the other was so heavily muscled that his shoulders seemed to join straight to his cannon ball like head without the need for a neck. A glance at the other's face made Aki's heart fall as he saw the tell tale metallic glitter in his captor's small eyes.

Vampires!

"I..I..I.." as he realised the ramifications of that even his usually reliable silver tongue failed him.

"Save it for the boss, boy!" Glasses instructed him drily as he turned and led the way towards the door that he had first emerged from and the fair haired giant deftly slipped a zip tie around his thin wrists before half lifting, half pushing Aki before him into the dimly lit stairwell. As the oxygen returned his brain to a reasonably functioning state he tried to assess his situation and all in all he concluded it was not good. He was certain that the two men were either Momohara's or the elegant man he assumed was her date's goons and that did not auger well in itself, the woman was reportedly one of the highest fliers in the Tokyo underworld and a Vamp to boot.

"I wasn't watching Ms. Momohara or her party...Sir." he added the honorific for good measure, judging deference could do him no harm and might pander to the men's egos.

" That is for others to decide now isn't it?" said glasses as they reached the bottom of the stairs and the boy could hear the sound of dance music rolling along the corridor he was being pushed along. Somewhere close by it sounded as if somebody was having a whale of a good time tonight, but not him he thought miserably! The leading man was opening another door and Akihito had no choice but to follow as he was manhandled roughly forward through it by the man mountain. 

" The spy, boss." Glasses announced and stepped aside like a curtain exposing a stage as the blasted giant behind Aki gave him what he was sure was a vindictive shove into the dimly lit room.  

" Hey, you have got that way wrong, buddy, I am no spy!" he spluttered indignantly as he stumbled forward." I am just a photographer!" 

" Just?" A deep voice like honey dripping through volcanic sand drawled, bringing the boy to an open mouthed halt in front of a broad table lit by tall black candles. He stared round eyed with shock at the elegantly dressed figure's of what was surely the most handsome couple he had every set his eyes on.

" Uh, uh ,uh..." speech betrayed him again, his mouth as round as his eyes as he eyed the gorgeous pair who were sitting in heavily carved high back chairs obviously about to enjoy the sumptuous meal laid out before them. Glasses placed Akihito's camera on the table in front of the man and he picked it up and deftly began to scan through the gallery.

" Well, Ryuchi sama," Momohara purred resting her chin on an elegant bejewelled hand while her black eyes raked up and down their unwilling visitor and one of her long fingers ran sensuously ran around the rim of her glass of blood red wine." and who is this pretty little thing?"

" He was spying on us up on the roof when we arrived, Ai sama."   The stunning man in question's thin lips twisted into a smirk as he watched the young blond staring at him like a rabbit in the headlights as he casually inspected his pictures." I thought it would be rude not to invite him to join us!"

" I..I was not spying on you!" Aki defended indignantly struggling to form his words as he blushed deeply, trying staunchly not to ogle the man who was so hot he was edible." I was only working on a story." 

" These," the other indicated the photos with one perfectly manicured hand and Aki blanched at the molten flash that sparked across the man's golden eyes." beg to differ!"

" Then," The tip of the woman's tongue suddenly flickered across sharp white teeth and Aki tried to back away, only to meet the solid body of the behemoth standing directly behind him. A predatory gleam settled across her suddenly cold eyes, chilling him to his core." I for one, am now really looking forward to dinner!"


	2. A splash of colour.

"I..I beg your pardon, madam," Akihito stammered glancing back and up to the fair haired goons impassive slab of a face which loomed above him." but I can assure you it was just a misunderstanding!"

"Rather more than that, pretty," Momohara said watching him and raising one of her perfectly arched eyebrows as the man with glasses bowed to the exotic couple politely before leaving the room already talking into his phone as he closed the door behind him." unfortunately for you this gentleman and I take our privacy VERY seriously."

"But, madame, please..." the boy's face flushed anxiously and at that both of the couple leaned forward their eyes fixing on him and flashing hungrily, causing him to stumble back against Gigantor in fear." All right, all right, you can keep the film, all I want is my camera and I will leave here and never say a word!" 

"Perhaps, later," the woman cooed beckoning him forward with a long finger nail and his feet obeyed, stumbling towards her despite his best efforts to resist." just come over here and sit by me."

Aki tried to fight the compulsion of her icy black eyes, breaking out into a cold sweat with the effort, these people were vamps, god damn it, he had heard the stories, he knew he must keep out of their reach! He still could not tear his eyes away from the beautiful woman's and although he tried his best he was soon at her side and beginning to sit where she was patting the seat beside her. The boy could not tear his eyes away from hers until an icy finger across his cheek made him blink at the chill and then he jerked himself away.

"Don't touch me!" he yelped angrily looking at her surprised face. He had sworn to himself (and his beloved grandmother!) when he left Kyoto for the big city that he was not going to just offer himself up to any old one even if it was to a gorgeous vampire and he prided himself with always keeping his word! Momohara's icy touch had shocked him back to reality and a rush of anger finished the allure she had begun to cast on him.

"Sit down!" The woman snapped at him her perfect eyebrows shaping into a furious V.

"No way!" he snapped back stepping clear of the goon's meaty paw as it swept towards him snatching up the wine bottle from the table and waving it around at everybody defensively! " Just give me my camera and nobody will get hurt."

Everyone else in the room were stunned into immobility at the little human's audacity until the handsome man broke the silence with a deep chortle. The bodyguard was less amused though and he gave a deep growl, his small eyes like sheet iron when he lunged at his previous captive but the boy was quicker.

"Sorry!" he muttered dodging past the woman and pushing her into the bodyguards clasp in his stead. Clambering across her chair in his desperation to avoid the huge man's grasping hands he inadvertently spilt the rest of the contents of the bottle he was still wielding all down the front of his sweatshirt and combats. Everyone in the room stopped and starred at him as though he had suddenly sprouted a second head where he stood hunched forward and panting. He kept glancing from face to face to preempt any attack as the ruby wine slid down his front in a viscous waterfall to drip slowly onto the floor between his feet. " What?"

No one moved or spoke but Momohara's pink tongue flickered predatorialy across the plump scarlet of her lips and Aki realised that she was not looking so much at him but at the wine. Everyone was! Was it some incredibly rare and expensive vintage he thought slightly guiltily? He looked down at his ruined clothes, it was very red he thought casually almost as red as....

"OH MY GOD!!!" He shrieked leaping back and throwing the bottle away from him across the room in disgust." YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!

As he started leaping around and ripping his clothes off of himself in blind panic he was so focused on that that he lost concentration on everyone else as they closed in on him like a pack of hyenas on their prey. He had wrestled his hoodie half over his head when he felt hands pulling at him and he was so tangled in it that he could not free himself to fight them off. He felt a sharp painful grip on his lower body before a pair of tree trunk sized arms clamped themselves around his narrow waist and he felt himself lifted bodily off the ground before he could pull the shirt clear of his eyes. Even when he could see he was the first to admit things were not looking good for him at that moment, the woman had sunk a handful of long nails into the soft skin of his stomach and was proceeding to take a long lick of the spilled, what he now knew to be, blood from his flesh!

" What do you think you are doing?" Aki squawked indignantly trying, ineffectively, to kick out at them both with his long legs as he hung from the giants hold. He tried to wriggle away from her, the woman glared straight into his eyes and he felt the bottomless obsidian gaze like a physical blow. As his vision blurred and stars seemed to dance across his vision he saw she opened her luscious mouth to bite him and he caught his first glimpse of needle sharp fangs. He felt the fight ooze out of him at the sight and despite his fear he found himself beginning to go limp. Somewhere behind him he heard the other man's tight little laugh again and a broad strong hand came to rest gently but firmly on Momohara's shoulder.

" Amusing though this interlude is proving, Ai," A deep voice drawled." perhaps you should save your appetite."

" A little sip surely would not hurt!" her voice was rough with blood lust as she ran her tongue over the silky smoothness of the boy's skin before her and stretched her jaws once again for a bite. 

"Aiiii?" he admonished sternly but with a hint of indulgence. The woman's beautiful face showed a slight scowl of annoyance but she drew back though still holding the blond's slim hips in her steely grip.

"Ach!" she huffed in frustration but after a moments hesitation released her prey and gracefully rose to her feet instead, reaching for a napkin and primly dabbing the excess beads of blood from around her lips." You can be so conservative sometimes, Ryuchi!"

" You know we really should have joined the main event by now." he smiled at her fondly then turned lazily towards where Aki still hung." Suoh, put him down."

The boy slid bonelessly to the floor at their feet with such an appetising groan that Asami could see, by the glint of her fangs, his companion was reconsidering taking that appetising sip she had forgone. Before she could get to Aki though he bent quickly and slipped his arms beneath the slight body, lifting him up as if he weighed no more than a child, the boy looked up woozily to see amused golden eyes staring down intently at him. The touch of the female vampire had jolted him alert like a shock from a taser but for whatever reason the strong arms that held him now filled him with a sense of well being he had rarely felt in his years as an adult. Instead of fighting against the man it made him feel pleasantly drowsy and even strangely content to lie back in his arms and breath in the handsome vampire's intoxicating scent of nicotine and musk. The vampire snorted in laughter as the pretty little human snuggled delightfully against his chest as he carried him to their now vacant seats. Placing him on the chair, the boy nearly face planted the table his body was so loose but the man placed a hand under his chin and held his face up until their eyes were locked.

"You will sleep," the older man purred his order softly, looking straight into the slightly unfocused blue eyes and then leaned in to breath directly into Aki's ear." until I, and only I, command you to wake!"

Asami released the little human and let him slump forward to rest his shaggy blond head on his hands against the table top, oblivious to the world by the time the glamorous, deadly couple linked arms and, followed by the taciturn giant, swept out of the shadowy room to attend the party beyond.

xxx

As soon as he had stepped from the limousine Asami Ryuchi's second sense had twitched, Ai was already here with her fixer, Lo, but he was aware of other eyes upon him somewhere. It had only taken him a couple of sweeps with his enhanced night vision to catch a small movement on the roof above them and then have it confirmed when a few second later a humid puff that indicated a human breath. 

"The roof to the right near the air vent." he informed Kirishima as his second in command joined them." bring him in to me for questioning."

Kirishima had agreed with a curt nod and they had barely eaten a bite of their pre feast meal before his men had brought the 'spy' in for them to question. He had to stifle a smile at the flustered little blond human who was exposed when Kirishima stood aside, either this boy was telling the truth or he was an Oscar worthy actor and the glorious blush that bloomed on him at Momohara's questioning only confirmed that.

Ah, that wonderful blush!

Many a lesser vampire would have jumped the lovely little urchins bones and drained him dry for that delicious flush of blood alone and the accompanying pluck the boy showed in standing up to Momohara's usually irresistible siren song only stoked his fires of desire. Asami had felt a strong attraction to his coltish body as soon as he had set eyes on it but that blush and sassy attitude had driven his need to posses the boy to an almost uncontrollable level from that moment on. He watched as the alluring youth draw heat even from the usually stoical Suoh and he had had to act quickly to deflect Ai, a powerful alpha vampire in her own right, from indulging herself it what he had determined would be his alone. When his companion had at last been reluctantly deflected from her prey and the thankfully obedient bodyguard had released the boy into a delicious tangle of delicate limbs on the floor he had been able to touch him for the first time.

The feel of that boy's warm pliant body when he swiftly plucked him up and held him close had sent a fierce tingle of possessiveness coursing through Asami's loins. When the semi conscious little thing snuggled himself more closely into his chest he thought that if he had had a beating heart within him it would surely have fluttered to a halt with exhilaration. He schooled his face to maintain his signature composed features but in truth as he whispered the sleep command into the shell of the youths ear he could barely suppress the vampire in him that sought to consume the little human immediately.

With a heavy but silent sigh he pulled Ai's beautiful hand into his own and carefully draping her arm through his made as dignified an exit from their dining chamber as he could muster vowing to return to toy with his curious new play thing as swiftly as the pressing business of the evening would allow! 


	3. A la carte menu.

Asami entered the room like as a king enters his court and his men dipped their heads respectfully from their stations around the club where they were positioned. Dracaena was in full swing and the huge dance floor was crowded with dancers determined to have a good time and by supplying a great atmosphere and heavy beats provided by the in house DJ's the club was living up to its unparalleled reputation for fun.

" Ah, Ryuchi," Ai said still resting her hand on his arm as he guided her into his personal booth somewhat screened for seclusion but still convenient for the floor and looking around at the shifting throng before them." You certainly have a magic touch when it comes to these clubs, there must be five hundred people in here!"  

"Thank you," Asami nodded his own eyes also on the dancers too." The success in these things only depends on providing the correct ingredients."

"Hmmm," the beautiful woman said with a knowing smile." but your skill is to know what those ingredients are and in what measure to provide them." 

"Then, thank you Ai," He was not vain but they both knew that his fortunes had been gained by hard graft and directing his endless energy to his famously ruthless rise to the top of the Tokyo underworld. "you have not done so badly in your field yourself." 

"Maybe," her laugh tinkled like music he realised and her eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked him." but there is only one Asami Ryuchi and he still refuses to share his throne!"

"Is that an offer, Momohara samma?" his eyes glinted in the flashing lights around them.

"Not I," the woman responded after a thoughtful pause with a wistful shake of her head." I left my crush on you behind with my teens and around the same time that you took down the Konda gummi clan."

"Harsh times called for harsh measures." Asami observed calmly." It sent out a message that needed to be heard!"

"Oh, all Japan heard THAT message," she said with a sigh at the memory." the priests were busy for a week with the funerals."

" It has kept Sion safe." was all he answered, his face impassive." A few lives that saved many...misunderstandings between our people and the humans over the years." 

"That may be true, I suppose." the woman pushed her dark hair behind her ears as their drinks arrived." One forgets how things were going for vampires in the early days before you drew your line on the ground that few have dared to cross."

"Only the strong survive in this world," he affirmed." and they allow the weak with their little lives to pretend they are safe."

"Perhaps you are right," she replied looking out over the dancer's and straightening her shoulders." and I really should not be hypocritical as I always look forward to helping you to hand out your lessons!"

"The guests I have planned for tonight," he said with a thin smile." have been well warned I can assure you, they have just chosen not to learn!"

"Good, good," she nodded her smile returning once again and looking forward to the evenings entertainment rather than back at their past." it is too long since we have had a proper feast and do not forget that angelic little morsel we have saved for afters either!"

" We shall see how our evening progresses," and the sharp eyed woman noticed as became more guarded at the mention of the blond boy waiting upstairs." I will personally guarantee that there will be plenty for you to enjoy at the main course!"

"At least honour me with a dance then, Ryu," she replied breezily brushing over the other Alpha's little reaction but storing it away in her mind." or will I have to ask Yo again?"

" I must finalise the details for later because as you said yourself, Ai, a good meal takes careful preparation!" he said with a rueful shake of his head." Anyway you know how I feel about dancing and Yo will make a far more skillful partner for you than I."

The woman stood then and as if by magic Yo appeared at her elbow offering her a courteous arm while Kirishima joined his boss with his ubiquitous i pad in hand.

" Perhaps you have just not found the right partner, Ryu," The beautiful woman said a hint of something that might have been sympathy in her eyes as she turned to follow the smaller man." just tell me when everything is ready."

" Have our other visitors arrived?" Asami asked his second in command when the other two had disappeared off into the crowd of other dancers.

" Yes, Asami san," Kirishima said passing the tablet to him showing a live feed from one of the club's cctv at a group of people enjoying themselves at a table." The transaction with Kumi Ichio san concerning that persistent problem that has been troubling him is here too and ready for signing.

"Excellent," the Alpha said taking the papers his aide passed to him and then leaning back into his seat and picking up his glass." and the courtesy food has been delivered to them?"

"Indeed," the man nodded." and the hostesses have been most attentive with it."

" Good. Oh, and Kirishima put a guard on the reception room we used earlier." he added, running a long, thoughtful finger around the rim of his whiskey glass." A reliable human one. Momohara samma and I will join you in the quiet room in one hour."

By the time Asami had finished one drink and settled down with his second he had signed the Kumi papers finalising a nice little deal that was pleasingly mutually beneficial to both parties . His second in command had returned to confirm that the preparations were now in place for the planned feast but he waited until Ai and her P.A. returned of their own accord. He rose and offered her his suited arm leading the way from the club and into the dimly lit black painted corridors that led the way through two guarded doors into the bowels of Club Dracaena. The beautiful woman followed him, breathless and exited both from the dancing and from the thought of the banquet ahead until they came to where Suoh and two further guards waited in front of an ornate door.

"Good evening, Asami san, Momohara samma," the huge blond said with a respectful bow." your guests await within, I hope you enjoy your meal." 

"I am sure we will," Ai said pushing forward eagerly through the heavy doors while the club owner followed in her wake now." thank you, Suoh."

The three men sat at a luxuriously appointed table in the windowless room therein with stunning hostesses draped around their shoulders or in the case of the junior member of the Kumi clan the scantily clad girl was on his knee. The Kuitchi brothers rose as one their eyes fixed on the yacuza leader's unreadable face, their girls dropping back discreetly but the third reveller stayed seated grasping his partner closer and kissing her shoulder roughly. He looked over to the newcomers lazily and almost as an afterthought drunkenly raised a cocktail glass towards them.

"Well, you two are rather late to the party," the mans ugly face twisted into a lewd smirk as he ran his eyes up and down Momohara's curvaceous form suggestively." and don't you know Ryuchi, that it is rude for the host to hog the tastiest tid bits for himself?"

"Hmm, little man," the beautiful woman purred almost slinking across to the table where the men sat and the two Kuitchi brothers, recognising her as the respected head of the powerful Ai Agency and seeing the metallic sheen in her black eyes, moved respectfully out of the way with low bows." I believe it is your name at the head of my invitation card!"

"Oh, my saucy girl," the sleazy man leered pushing his female escort abruptly from his lap and patting the space she had vacated in invitation to the other woman." come and sit here and you will soon know why anyone who knows me well would never call me little." 

"My, Ryu," she said not blinking as she fixed the ugly fellow with her sharp gaze and running two long red nails slowly across the skin of his throat." you were right as ever, what a worthy guest this one is for the party!"

"I'll show you worthy, minx!" The man growled, but closing his eyes and going limp at the touch of her fingers, seemingly oblivious to the menace that settled onto her as she went to stand behind him her slim hands already kneading his shoulders firmly. The brothers made to move away from the table fearfully but their erstwhile lady friends suddenly clasped them firmly in their soft arms their own eyes now displaying a Vamp sheen.

"We are here by your invitation, sensei!" the elder one gasped, fighting his urge to submit to the girls hold. 

"You were banished to Macao, Kuitchi" the yacuza leader answered his voice deceptively calm." You should have stayed there."

"By the police," the man said his eyes widening with alarm." a simple bribe facilitated our return." 

"And who do you think authorised your departure?" Asami circled behind them and the man screwed his head round in a vain attempt to keep him in sight.

"No..! That cannot be..! It was under your orders?" Kuitchi stuttered his voice high with fear seeing his brother slump loosely where he stood and he began to struggle against the grip of the vampire girl who only held him tighter against her body.

"Of course," the other told him over his shoulder." you had overstepped yourselves once to often."

"Please, Asami san," the other croaked." just let us go and you will never hear of us again!" 

"You are right in one thing," the vampire breathed in the terrified man's ear." NO one will hear off you again!"

"Please, by all the gods," the man whimpered his eyes rolling back in his head as he succumbed to their hypnotic Vamp touch." be merciful!"

"Perhaps if the gods are listening they will be kind" The tall vampire snorted out his amusement." and you will die quickly!"

And then he sunk his fangs into the others throat.

Momohara and the other vampire women struck in unison with him and the men hung from their arms fighting in vain to break their deadly hold as their blood flowed into its new recipients. The women groaned with pleasure as their victims struggles grew weaker, pushing the human food aside and then lifting the writhing bodies onto the tables for better access to their delicious fare. Asami sampled all three as tribute and then stood back to watch with satisfaction while his kin took their fill.  As the woman drew back from their dining, Kirishima, Suoh and Yo indulged themselves and behind them others came and took their place in order of rank or reward as seemed fit. Soon the bodies ceased their flailing growing paler until they twitched no more. As the underlings of his Sion clan drained the dregs he relaxed, allowing his thoughts to turn from the frenzy before him to the enticing thought of the boy waiting asleep upstairs. Who was he Asami wondered and what was the essence that made him so extraordinarily attractive to someone as well used to any number of often willing and desirable consorts being at his beck and call. He licked his lips at the thought of that pale body awaiting him, tasting the residual iron tang of those who had so foolishly crossed him and paid the cost, would the blond taste as sweet as he promised to be? A rare shiver of anticipation trailed down his spine at the thought and he shifted on his feet, restless now to finish here and collect his due from the boy. 

Asami looked around the scene of their feasting, from the fine sprays of blood on the walls to the mangled corpses draped across what had become the sacrificial tables and he enjoyed the deep feeling of content he got from orchestrating a job well done. He looked over to the sated and jubilant group of bodyguards who had partaken of the offerings he had supplied and smiled at the dishevelled but replete Momohara Ai and her second in command, Lo. The small man stood beside Kirishima and they appeared to be exchanging ledgers between their tablets seemingly oblivious to the carnage whose devastation was still apparent all around them. The Sion sept were well schooled, now their donors had been utilised the clean up teams would be waiting discreetly in the wings ready to restore the room to its former pristine condition and to dispose of the leftovers. His thoughts drifted again to the dessert awaiting upstairs in the form of the delectable photographer and wondered if it was time enough to bid a polite goodnight to Ai and the rest before leaving to spend the rest of the night with what he already thought of as his boy.

"I hope that you have enjoyed yours evening, Ai?" he asked her politely where she had seated herself to watch the proceedings after she had drunk her fill.

"I have," she said with a content smile." we have fed well. What will the Kumi family say when they hear of the demise of their offspring?"

"The matter was settled in advance," Asami said as the body in question was being bagged unceremoniously for disposal." old man Ichio had had one too many rebellions from this one so I agreed to doing him a favour by disposing of him before things within his clan got out of hand."

"A problem solved then!" Momohara said her eyebrow raised in a perfect arc.

"And now," he said allowing himself a small smile." I have also acquired a cut in that bridge deal the Kumi's have been brewing in Kobi."

"What a man!" she admired her eyes twinkling." Now talking of cuts what of our little sweetmeat upstairs?"

"Hmmm." Asami did not really answer, only watching the tidy up.

"Was that a hungry hmmm, a bored hmmm." the woman teased." or a could the icy Asami have found something he does not wish to share even with an old friend kind of hmmm?"

Asami dipped his head to look down at her and saw her amused expression.

"It was," he replied calmly, remembering once again why he liked this woman." an 'are you really still hungry after all that human' hmmm?"

"Ha, Ryu," she laughed outright then." I saw your well known possessive streak cut straight in when the boy accepted your touch so well! I am very well fed, thank you, so you can keep your juicy little cherub all to yourself!"

"Then, thank you, Ai," he smiled back." I must admit he stirred something in me then but I am not sure it was just my possessive streak!"

"Asami Ryuchi!" she held her hand to her mouth in mock horror." Was that not only a joke but one in dubious taste?"

"Maybe, Ai," he replied his face impassive again." but he does have certain charms that I look forward to...exploring tonight!"

"Ha," she said waving a manicured hand at him in dismissal." then go and join him if you must, I am sure Kirishima will sort out any little details left here." 

His due's to his guest paid Asami bowed, kissing her hand before exchanging a nod with Kisrishima and, with Suoh at his shoulder, he turned suddenly even more eager to make his way back upstairs.


	4. After dinner entertainment.

The boy was still asleep where they had left him, his tousled blond hair pouring over his slender hands, the pale cloud obscuring the pretty face Asami knew it hid. The Yacuza approached the table knowing that with the sleep compulsion he had placed on the youth that little short of a catastrophic earthquake would disturb his slumber until he himself gave the command to wake. He pushed back the shaggy fringe exposing creamy skin which felt so delightfully warm and smooth beneath his fingertips that his fangs dropped into place unbidden. He smiled, what was it about the sleeper that made him react so dramatically, as if he were an inexperienced teenager? Whatever piqued his enthusiasm was strong, strong enough to stir him in a way he had not felt for many years.

"I think I will take him to dine somewhere more private, Kazumi." He informed his head of security and his breath quickened when the boy stirred in his sleep at the sound of his voice." We will use the limousine so arrange that the grey BMW she so admired last week will be available for Momohara samma and her parties personal use."

"Indeed, sir." the huge man confirmed moving forward to pick the small human up but at his touch the boy grumbled and tried to shift his arm away even asleep.  

"I will carry him then as he seems to favour me even when unconscious!" Asami let out a huff of pleased laughter." What a fussy little thing!" 

He slid a hand under the shoulders of the lithe body and trying to avoid getting too much of the spilled blood from the sweatshirt on his freshly changed jacket he hefted the boy up to lie bridal style in his arms. The blond head settled snugly onto his chest and Suoh held the door open for them before he led the way along the brightly lit corridor that led to Draceana's private back entrance.

The Kuitchi brothers car had already been removed and he imagined that it was, even now, probably stripped of its number plates and waiting for export on board some ship destined for an Arab state. Yes, his people really were that good he thought smiling to himself as they crossed to the limo with their small burden.

"Hilton, sir?" Suoh asked breaking his line of thought as he opened the car's door for the other two.

"Hilton?" Asami repeated as he ducked into the plush interior, careful not to knock the boys tousled head against the door pillar as he manoeuvred them both in. 

"Which hotel would you like to use," the big man indicated the youth."for your evenings...entertainment? The Hilton has always been very accommodating of Sion's requirements."

"The Hilton then." he agreed settling into the plush leather seats with the blond bundled into his lap.

The bodyguard nodded and closing the big door the pair were left alone, Asami watching as Suoh expertly navigated the long vehicle out of the narrow alleyway and into the bustle of the busy street beyond. As they began their journey the elegant man for the first time began to inspect his prize at his leisure. He tipped the small body away from his to get a better view of the other and smiled to himself, very pleased that his first impressions were borne out and the boy was indeed a delectable little thing. Blond haired with pale smooth skin and a delicate almost feminine bone structure he snuggled into his chest in a perfect fit against Asami's much bigger frame. The lad was undoubtedly very attractive in a human way but when he bent his head and breathed in the scent from his messy hair he felt the sensation that there was something special about him again.

The loose, still gory top hid the slight body from his sight and Asami suddenly feeling the need to see more began to pull at it. It was little surprise the boy had failed to shed the clinging thing in his haste earlier and he soon gave up the awkward task with a huff of frustration. 

"Awake." he whispered in the shell of the others ear.  

The boy did not spring up as he might have been expected to but instead tried to burrow deeper into the expanse of his Armani clad chest.

"Awake!" the command was firmer this time and he was taken aback when the boy only waved a thin hand dismissively at him him grumbling and pulling the thousand dollar suit material closer about his ears dismissively.

"Wake up, brat!" the man snapped and this time the boy shot upright although his eyes were still bleary with sleep!

"What!" the youngster snapped back." Who are...Hey you are that creepy rich guy with the model!"

Asami pushed the impudent pup away from him, dumping him from his lap onto his skinny backside on the floor as he viewed him from under raised eyebrows.

"You need a lesson in manners, bo...." he started his rebuke feeling his fangs beginning to drop into place with anger.

"What and you think you are the one to teach them to me?" the boy muttered rising to his feet surprisingly gracefully. "Well stand in line, old man!"

"Old...!" Asami half rose his eyes flashing like molten gold, his face clamped into a mask that would have most people prostrating themselves on the ground in front of him in fear! Not this boy though, the pint sized warrior had planted his feet firmly apart and his small fists on the faded jeans on his narrow hips ignoring that his shock headed hair had to bend at an angle to avoid the cars low roof. The sight should have inflamed the powerful man into an unstoppable killing rage but as he watched the others set little jaw he that he could have crushed into pulp in one hand he took in a surprised breath.

"Bring it on, Vamp!" the little poppet challenged then, seeing Asami's face, halted angrily." Wait, are you laughing at me you great oaf?" 

And the mighty leader of Sion was. Actually laughing in a way he had not for more years than he would wish to remember. The limo lurched slightly and the panel that divided him from the driver slid open and Aki jumped away as best he could from the beefy fingers that gripped its edge.  

"Boss?" Suoh's gravelly voice queried unused to hearing THAT noise from the passenger compartment. Asami drew several deep breaths to school his voice back to a reasonable level of normality.

" It is nothing, Kazumi," he said watching the wary boy try and keep as far away from both himself and the big driver." Continue."

Without more questions the panel slid shut again and they felt the big car join the traffic once again and Asami saw that the boy was still glaring at him.

"Where are we?" the blonde demanded."Actually it doesn't matter, just let me out here, wherever it is!"

"Do not be so hasty..." the older man stopped although he was still smiling. " What is your name anyway?"  

" Takaba san, to you!" the younger countered gamely and Asami saw that the others eyes were of the brightest, angriest blue. This boy could not get more delectable!

"If you will not tell me," he snorted out another laugh at the little fellows bravado." then I will call you kitten!"

"You bloody well will not!" the boy squawked, spitting with rage like his new nickname would have.

"You are a little wild cat though," Asami laughed." and that shall be what I call you until you tell me your given name."

"Oh, for god's sake," the pretty blue eyes rolled up skywards in defeat." my name is Takaba, Takaba Akihito!" 

"Nice to meet you, Takaba Akihito." the yakuza"s smile reminded him.of a shark.

"Well?" the other said after a minute or so.

"Well what, Akihito?" Asami countered still smirking.

"Who needs a lesson in manners now?" the boy snapped back waggling an admonishing finger at him."Who are you?"

"Ah, now kit..." the boy tipped his head adorably at the start of the nickname." Takaba Akihito, I am many things to many people but my name is Asami Ryuchi."

"Hmmm, wait!" the boy gasped after a few moments when his brow stayed furrowed in thought." THE Asami Ryuchi CO of Sion inc?!"

"Indeed." Asami inclined his head politely.

"But...You... Momohara samma, how did we even get in here?" the blond head shook in confusion looking around the car." I am confused."

"What about?" the older man smiled smugly back at the other." She and I have many aspects in common?"

"Well you both seemed very," the lad struggled with his words." well, I suppose, bitey, you know Vampirey back there!"

"Well," he said dropping his voice to add a bit of compulsion into it again." that IS our nature."

Akihito blanched at that, fighting Asami's allure and leaning back against the side of the door.

"It is too hot in here!" the boy said struggling with the handle of the locked door. "Please, Asami san, at least open a window."

Asami stared at the delicious flush that had flooded back into the pretty face and his vision narrowed, only half aware as the slim fingers scrabbling at the window mechanism. His teeth dropped once more as his eyes focused on the pulse visibly thudding in the long white pillar of throat.

And then to his shock the boy was airborne! Pushing off with his long legs and diving head first out of the half opened window and into the dark beyond. Asami lurched forward with an angry growl, grasping for the last narrow converse clad foot as it disappeared!  Following him to lean outside, he was just in time to be looking back at the rolling body before seeing Akihito stagger somewhat shakily to his feet as traffic veered and honked around him The lanky body stood gathering itself for a moment before turning and flicking him the bird with a cheeky grin plastered across that delicious face. Before Asami could order the limo to halt and give chase, holding his side, the boy ran full tilt down a walkway and off into the shadows.


	5. Fresh blood.

"SUOH" Asami bellowed slamming his hand so hard on to the privacy panel that he left a palm sized dent on the aluminium screen. The big car jerked and the abused brakes screeched against the tarmac as the bodyguard slid back the interior window with a smack, a pistol searching to fix on whatever might be distressing his boss.

"Sir?" he asked peering around the passenger cabin for any obvious threat.

"The damned brat," he gestured with a stinging hand towards Aki's exit route, almost incoherent with rage and surprise." went out of the window!"

"The window?" his broad brow furrowed in confusion." When we were at the lights?"

"No," the other said trying to gather his scattered thoughts and reaching for his phone." the little devil just jumped straight out!"

"Is he dead?" The big man said unfazed now their was no present danger to his boss putting down the gun and picking up his phone." I will call for a clean up crew."

"No, no need," the tall man said reading his mobile's small screen intently." he was up and running."

"I will organise his removal immediately then." the ever practical Suoh began to type the new orders. "Do we have a name, sir?"

"Takaba, Takaba Akihito." Asami supplied absentmindedly still engrossed in reading." single, 23, Photographer, has too many friends on Facebook."

"I will set a team on it now, sir." the bodyguard confirmed his thumb moving to 'send'.

"No!" Asami said sharply, suddenly hearing what the other man was saying." No termination!"

"The boy will be easy to..." the other replied raising surprised eyebrows from the divergence from standing orders.

"No termination." the man confirmed his gold eyes sparking with energy." I will deal with this myself."

"But, sir, he..." the large man shifted to see his boss better.

"Park up, Kazumi, you could not get a car down the alleyway he ran into," Asami ordered crisply, picking up his long lambswool coat against the chill of the night." so I am going after him on foot."

"Yes, sir." the other smoothly pulled their long vehicle to the curb without further comment.

"Keep your phone handy."

As Asami stepped out into the evening air he shrugged on his jacket, looking back along the still busy street he could see the entrance to the little gap in the buildings that Akihito had slipped down. He strode along the pavement almost unaware that people moved out of the way as he approached feeling the power the tall man exuded. Women and men alike watched him as he walked among them, many wondered why someone so obviously elite should be gracing their, mediocre at best, neighbourhood but none engaged him, glad in truth that they lived beneath the stern man's notice.

"Ah!" he said drawing in the cold night air deeply and smelling the distinctive scent of the young photographer, fresh and sweet still lingering in the air." I have you, little one!"

The alley was drafty, dim and dirty but Asami did not break stride as he entered it having been down very, very much worse over the years. The smells of the rubbish bins and stale urine masked but could not cover the boys own and among the rest the vampire also detected the unmistakable scent of blood. He inhaled and followed the trail to a bin standing at the end of the alley where it joined a more residential street. Reluctantly he opened the lid and peered inside, although in one way he had hoped it might be the blond he was unsurprised to find the blood caked hoodie discarded in it instead. There was something else he caught a tang of as well and he picked up the cloth and took another tentative sniff at it.

"Fresh blood!" he murmured to himself and somewhere inside him he felt an unsettling note of discord sound. The boy was bleeding.

Damn, he thought throwing the top away in disgust and moving out into the wide street more quickly then, the scent of blood sharp and appetising in his nose. There were still some people here and there this chilly night but most in this area were salary men with early trains to catch so there were few still up to see the tall well dressed figure sweep past. The trail led him along the street and past the bright lights of a set of late night food outlets where Asami paused a moment.

"Have you seen a small blond man?" he asked a grumpy looking waiter putting away tables from the pavement. 

"Man? No," he said shaking his head staring at the tall stranger suspiciously." only a skinny drunk kid who asked to use the phone." 

"And?" he waved a few decent notes in front of the others face as encouragement. 

"The boss doesn't like trash like him about," the man snatched the money, shoving it into his pocket quickly." so I gave him a good slap and sent him off." 

"Slap?" Asami knew the vamp had flashed his anger into his yellow eyes when the man shrank back a couple of paces fearfully. 

"Maybe a bit of a gut punch, then," the man admitted." he was high or something too and anyway, these little Hoe's like that kind of stuff anyway!" 

"Hoe!" the tall man snapped back at him but then clamped his teeth together holding the bite he wished to administer to this worthless man at the callous comment." And then?"

"He kinda staggered," the man was beating a hasty retreat into his cafe, fearful now of the menace the other exuded." then went off that a' way."

Asami turned away without wasting any more words on the restaurateur but knowing the man would pay for the treatment he had meted out to his boy when he had more time. 

Wait! His boy? When had Takaba become his boy he wondered but when he rolled the idea around in his head he found he liked it. The blond humans courage when confronted with a roomful of vampires had been both extraordinary and foolhardy, Either Suoh or Kirishima were easily capable of taking out four of five humans as for Momohara... Well he had never seen any human even try to resist HER compulsions but Aki had managed to break away from her Alpha's touch which was unheard of! And yet the lad had behaved like the kitten of his nick name at his own touch and Asami could not help but feel a wave of warmth at the memory. That really had been most flattering he recalled with a pleased twitch of his thin lips.

The waiter's number was up if he had hurt the boy he promised himself, suddenly possessive. Actually he was finished, just for touching his property the ganglord decided scowling and lengthening his stride as he followed the blond's enticing scent more intently. The trail led him on through the gates of a small park and then along a narrow path which seemed to lead to a stand of trees and scrub beyond which he saw the glint of what he thought to be a pond. He drew in a deep breath.

Ah, good, the trail was fresher, he must be closing in. 

"Get your hands of me, you thieving cretins," a familiar voice suddenly cried out and Asami made out two men struggling with something they were holding down on the ground." do I look like I have anything worth stealing?" 

The ganglord surged forward his lips curling in a snarl. 

"You have plenty we want some off, sweet cheeks," one of the men sniggered in a coarse voice." your lips for one and then a big handful of your pretty little... Fuck!"

Asami saw a thin denim covered leg shoot out, catching the side of the man's knee and felling him sideways with a cry of pain. The other man aimed a kick at the prostrate boy before bending down to pull at his thin t shirt, ripping it away to expose the slender body below. The kick had winded the lad and things would only have got worse as the first man struggled to regain his feet, spitting curses and tugging his belt buckle open as he lurched towards the other two.

Asami roared, deep toned and visceral and his eyes glowed like molten gold above his needle sharp fangs. He had a hand clamped on the first muggers shoulder and was spinning him around to make sure he could see his death before he sunk his fangs into the rough skin under the unshaven chin and ripped the paltry human scums throat straight out! The other robber stumbled backwards tripping over and landing heavily on the boys body where he still lay, curled tightly in pain.

"Ooofff!" the little human huffed at the impact of the bigger body hitting his and just that little pained noise from him tipped Asami truly over the edge. His teeth ripped and his hands rent apart the second man's flesh until a rain of blood and gobbets of meat covered the area around him like crimson snow. 

The Alpha's broad chest heaved with the exertion as his sable locks hung heavy on his glowering brow standing straddled defensively over the prone form of his chosen little human. Stunned sky blue eyes stared up at the mighty vampire lord where he stood above him in all the full glory of his seductive power that had quelled nations and their kings before him!

"For Fuck's sake! You!" the boys voice was barely a whisper as the older man lifted him gently into the safety of his strong arms, and then as the beautiful eyes began rolling up in a faint." Just when I thought this night couldn't get any worse you have to show up again!"


	6. A change of circumstances.

" You ungrateful little alley cat!" Asami grumbled although he laughed despite himself at the little blonds audacious comment before he slipped into unconsciousness. Now cradled into the safety of his own bigger body he hefted the young photographer closer before picking his way through the human detritus and heading further into the park. He found one of the benches set beside the pond and sat them down upon it so that he could fish out his phone." I have him, pull in at the Ligu Park eastern gate and wait for me."

"Certainly, sir." the bodyguard replied without inflection.

"And another clean up team for an incident." the crimelord ordered remembering the mess he had left among the copse behind him seeing no need to draw unnecessary attention to vampire activity in an already nervous city. Asami sat back to study the boy in his arms under the small lights strung through the branches beside the path while he awaited the arrival of his transport. He should probably just take him now, he thought, drain the strong life force of the boy and just let the clean up crew bag his pale corpse so that it could be dumped along with the others and he could walk away and back into his ordinary life.

And yet the vampire did not strike, did not even feel his fangs drop despite the enticing smell of fresh blood and a helpless human lying so warm and close against him that he could feel his breath through the silk of his shirt. The boy's face was pale and lax in repose, Akihito appearing much younger than his purported twenty three years and the older man pondered again on what it was about him that drew him so strongly. Attractive certainly, pretty for a boy, with rare colouring and smooth skin, and with that thought he ran two fingertips down the prominent bones of the lightly muscled shoulders absentmindedly. Surely it could not just be physical though, he mused, he had met and, if he chose bedded, the great beauties of his generation and yet had not felt this draw towards them. An unmistakable aroma distracted his thoughts and leaning against the back of the bench he looked for the source of the delicious smell of fresh blood he could detect. The white skin was smudged with muck and debris from his rough evening and there were many scrapes and bruises including one large angry one that was still red, the black only beginning to form at its centre. 

He surprised himself at the noise of his own growl!

It was as well he thought with a surge of anger, that the youths muggers were already dead or he would have enjoyed a slower end to them and mentally booked in the removal of the cruel waiter as recompense. Small splashes of enticing scarlet decorated the shoulder and slender flank, most probably from that ludicrously foolish leap from his limo and Asami did not resist running a fingertip through it and bringing it up to his nose to sniff, before taking a small self indulgent lick of it.

Mmmm, delicious and he felt the saliva start to flow at the tang of it, his eyes ran over the injuries noting none seemed life threatening. He began to focus on the slow ooze of blood from the scrapes that were not yet clotted and he blinked pulling his gaze away with an effort. Not yet, he scolded himself, beginning to take his long coat off and wrapping away the pale temptation of the boy's flesh before drawing him up into his arms again. Soon, he said making for the gateway and the car that would be by now be waiting for them beyond. Not the time yet for a snack when his mind began to plan for the delicate feast Akihito promised to be to be, consumed in somewhere more private away from the public gaze. Somewhere more intimate.

Suoh was standing beside the gate waiting to escort them across to where their car was parked and he held the door while Asami manoeuvred the boy and himself into the back again. The roads were quieter this late and he settled back into his seat rearranging the boy for comfort in his lap but still keeping him wrapped in his heavy coat. Looking out of the window as they cruised he made a decision and leaned forward to tap for Suoh.

"Asami san?" The bodyguard asked as he slid the privacy panel open.

"We will be going to the penthouse." his boss instructed.

"After the Hilton?" Suoh sounded a bit confused.

"No, now." the other confirmed.

"Shall we be dropping the reporter of somewhere?" Suoh hesitated, could his boss have already drained the boy? 

"Photographer." Asami's corrected." No, I will be entertaining at home tonight."

"As you wish, sir." and the window slid shut again.

Asami had only held the boy on his knees within his woollen cocoon on the journey enjoying the scents of the humanity he emitted and his slight but tangible weight shifting with the movements of the limo. He considered reviving the boy with a compulsion although he smiled at the memory of the others courageous banter he did not wish to have a further run in with him that might cause him more damage before he got him to the security of his near impregnable home. When they stopped in his private parking area below Sion he spared no time in entering the executive lift that serviced the penthouse with his burden bidding Suoh good night.

xxx 

The first thing Akihito became aware of when he woke was that his body ached and his tongue was so dry that it was sticking to the roof of his mouth. He licked his lips and tentatively and began to open his eyes expecting more pain but the dimly lit room in which he lay was quiet and whatever he was lying on was soft and warm so his body really should not be complaining so much. But it was, it really, really was.  

"Urrgg."he groaned into the silence struggling to sit up in whatever was so comfortably wrapping him in its soft grasp. Where was he and why oh, why, did his ribs hurt this much? 

"I was just going to wake you." a silky smooth voice commented close by and Aki jumped, pulling himself up painfully to rest on one elbow. 

"Oh, gods, you!" Aki groaned recognising it, as the dark shadows shifted and the red glow of a cigarette flared in them.

"My," the vampire laughed quietly pulling aside his coat to allow the boy freer movement." you are an grateful little thing!"

"Ug!" Aki groaned as he struggled to sit." Less of the little!"

"I have carried you half around Tokyo," the vampire assured him with a smirk." and am well qualified to testify that there is more meat on a chicken than you!"

"Very funny!" the smooth brow furrowed in a scowl looking around." Where are we?"

"One of my apartments." the older man slowly released a lungful of smoke flicking ash into a crystal ashtray resting on the coffee table between them as he watched the boy intently.

"One of..." then he shook his head." Modest as well as all your other virtues, eh?"

"I am known for it!" the other smiled reminding Aki of a shark. 

"Those men...?" the boy said as a sudden shocking memory flashed back." They started to...and then you were there. Were they some of yours?"

"No!" Asami felt genuinely offended." They were just street trash."

"And you just happened along?" the boys face looked sceptical.

"I followed you," the man leaned forward his honey eyes flashing with amusement." and saved your little ass. Literally! A thank you and even a reward would be appropriate!"

"Reward?" the pretty, expressive face crumpled in confusion then in frustration." Do I have a 'money available' sign on my forehead? If so will someone tell my landlord and I can pay him last months rent!"

" I do not want your money!" the vampire exhaled another cloud of smoke in a derisive huff." I have more money than enough." 

"If you are THAT Asami Ryuchi," Akihito said hugging his 'blanket' grumpily around his thin shoulders." you already have everything , so dream on, I have nothing you would want." 

"You underestimate yourself, Akihito," the other smirked, gracefully rising to his feet and coming to stand over the smaller man, who just huddled down further into the coat eyeing him sceptically." You have much to offer!"

"No." the boy said flatly.

"You do not know what I would ask for yet!" the tall man asked his golden eyes watching the now wary blue ones.

"I am not a fool, Asami san," Aki said guardedly hunching his thin shoulders up towards his ears to cover that delicious white column of a neck." you are a vampire."

"I am indeed," the tall man moved closer behind the other, bending close to almost whisper in his ear and the boy shivered at the vibration." but first I am a man."

"Well so am I!" the other spluttered trying to pull further into himself but a strong, cool, hand slipped under his chin and his face was tipped up. "Hey..!"

Asami had been patient enough and he took the others luscious mouth as the boy began to object, tasting the parted lips before they had a chance to clamp shut against him. The kiss was intense and the vamp smirked licking his own lips to enjoy the distinct, vibrant taste of the other. He barely registered the sharp pain shooting like lightning from his temple through his whole head before Asami was slumping forward towards the floor and into darkness.


	7. Raising spirits.

Akihito felt the rise in tension in the atmosphere when the elegant vampire rose and approached the sofa where he was huddled. Confidence borne of power and strength oozed enticingly from the man and Aki would be lying if he did not admit he felt the pull of it. It drew him in as if Asami was a mighty sun and he a small pale moon and it took all his will power to try to keep up a resistance to it. The fingers surprised him with their touch, strong and slim, they felt surprisingly smooth where they pressed beneath his chin, tipping up his face effortlessly. He looked up into the honey of the tall man's eyes as he bent down and began to take his reward and not a small part of him wanted to allow him to take his fill. The boy felt his body melt when their lips touched and as the others tongue swept lightly across his it took all his resolve not to just succumb to his bodies demands.

No! Aki scolded himself sternly you cannot enjoy kissing a man so much. The damnably attractive Vamp must be using a compulsion on him, blast his traitorous body, he must save himself from the grisly death the handsome man would surely have planned for him. The firm lips withdrew from his when he willed his teeth to clench against their intrusion and he reached forward sweeping his hand around until it felt the edge of the large ashtray he had identified earlier as a potential weapon.

Thwack! The horrible noise the crystal bowl made when he swung it up to contact the larger mans temple made Aki's stomach lurch uncomfortably.

"I am an idiot!" he muttered to himself firmly, leaning back against the sofa to gather his breath and thoughts and throwing the ashtray away from him across the room." Like he wasn't about to sink those fangs into my throat and help himself to my jugular!"

The boy sat still for a moment, things were moving so fast tonight that his mind was struggling to keep up. The relatively simple stake out to nail the Kuitchi brothers had blown itself well out of proportion and now here he sat in a Vamp's home!

Den?

Roost?

Whatever you called an Alpha Vampire's home turf. And what was more, the said vampire was lying face down on his own obviously very expensive carpet with a big dent, that he had put there, in his otherwise gorgeous head! It seemed pretty evident to Aki that he was clearly well out of his depth so he had best simply leg it as soon as possible and don't look back!

With that thought in place he pulled himself to the edge of the cushions hissing with the pain of the myriad scrapes and bruises the night had decorated him with. When he glanced down at his chest to investigate further he realised he had lost most of his T shirt along and that along with the abandonment of his sweatshirt in that skip earlier in the evening left him decidedly under dressed! Realising he would never make it home half naked Aki snuggled back into the soft coat he had woken to find himself draped in with a heartfelt sigh to formulate a new plan of action. He looked at the unconscious body lying unmoving beside him where he sat, if this were the impeccably turned out vampires home then that would surely he must have mountains of clothes. He looked around at the varnished oak doorways in the opposite wall then back at the other man's still form.

A pang of guilt and concern washed through him. What if he had actually killed Asami san with that damned ash tray!? 

Akihito shuffled gingerly along the sofa, having no desire to risk touching the bigger man he tried to see if the other was at least breathing. The handsome face was pale beneath the now ruffled sweep of silky black hair but the boy could not make out any discernible movement in either his mouth or chest. He put out a tentative toe, pushing at the perfectly manicured fingers. Still nothing. Aki rose to his feet, wincing at the fleet of stings delivered by his gashes and moved cautiously to stand over the felled ganglord to nudge at the Armani jacket with his red converse low top shoe.

Nothing.

Damn, maybe he really had murdered him!

Akihito hunched his cosy wrap up and over his shoulders and crouched near the dark head reaching out with the tip of one thin finger towards the others cheek. The skin was cool but not cold and surprisingly smooth for a man except where the trace of evening stubble had begun to roughen it on the chin. The boy ran his finger slowly down the striking features thoughtfully, along the strong jaw line and down to rest on the hollow between the cords of muscle that attached to the bottom of his neck. What an amazingly attractive man(?) creature(?) Asami was he thought now the threat he posed had been negated and he had time to actually look at him. It was just a shame Aki had had to kill him to be able to appreciate it, he thought as he placed a small hand on the big arm and gave it a last regretful, tentative shake. 

"Eeehch!" The boy wheezed out as the others long strong fingers flexed into the thick pile of the ivory coloured carpet beneath him. Aki threw himself back reflexively tangling himself badly in his covering as he scrambled backwards and away from the big vampire in an undignified panic. The blond froze, planted on his rump with his back wedged against one of the floor to ceiling windows hidden by the heavy curtains behind the sofa. His own breath rasped in his throat as he watched with round frightened eyes but Asami did not stir again.

An odd mixture of regret and relief began to flow through him at the small sign of life and he was surprised that the relief was by far the stronger emotion he felt. The head of Sion was nothing if not a magnificent specimen of a man, vampire, Vamp, and indeed all of the above Aki thought as he arose and made his way as silently as he could to the others side again to stare at his attractive host.  

Wait, Aki thought blushing so furiously that he would surely have been gobbled straight up had the tall vampire still been conscious! Whatever Asami Ryuchi was he was definitely all male and so the boy should not be having such thoughts. He must still be under a compulsion he decided angrily standing a little straighter in his cosy wrap, because he, Takaba Akihito only liked women in 'that' way. 

He shook his head, if the vampire could still affect him so strongly while he was out cold then he had better at least tie him up in case he awoke and ambushed him before he could make good his escape. He got up and headed for the nearest door setting his narrow jaw, determined not to be distracted again from his task of finding something to bind the big man and clothe himself. The first room was a smart kitchen resplendent in black marble and stainless steel so pristine he dismissed it as unlikely to contain anything fruitful but the second was a bedroom, big enough to fit Akihito's whole apartment into. This seemed more hopeful territory and so, with a nervous glance at Asami's still prone form he cautiously entered it. The guest room he wondered? It was a big room with a huge bed against one wall, as tasteful and deluxe as a plate from Vogue and almost as soulless. He was about to leave when he noticed the doors in the opposite wall, perhaps there might be something useful behind them?

The first was the en suite bathroom, as sterile and tasteful as the bedroom so, feeling a bit like Goldylocks in the bear's house, Aki went to try the next door. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped, he had seen good sized stores with fewer clothes in them. Rack upon rack of branded, colour coded suits and shirts along with shelves of flawlessly presented designer shoes lay in a room the size of most peoples sitting rooms. Aki snorted with wry amusement wondering how many of these articles Asami had actually worn, he let his wrap drop from his shoulders and pulled the nearest shirt, a white cotton one, from its hanger so that although he had to roll the arms almost to the shoulders at least his battered chest was at last covered up. Although the suits were all shades of grey or dark blue and the shirts whites to ivory the collection of ties was comparatively colourful, blues and greys mixed with gold and even the odd red. He smiled drawing two out of their rests, a gold one and a black would serve his purpose admirably.

Armed with the ties and swathed in the voluminous white shirt Aki returned to stand beside the unconscious yakuza again. How best to tie him he pondered? The vampire was way to big for him to move and was already on his front so he made a loop in the gold tie and slipped it over one big hand and carefully tied Asami's wrists behind his back like he had seen in he movies. He tied the ankles in the same way making sure the ties was not tight enough to stop the circulation or even pinch the vampire and sat back on his haunches to admire his handiwork but he was not satisfied. Asami, so tall and elegant awake, looked dishevelled and uncomfortable felled, so the boy quickly rolled up the soft woollen coat the other had loaned him and tucked it neatly under his head to act as a pillow. Then Aki ran his fingers to smooth the silky strands of hair out of the Vamps face and back into place behind his ear.

Better. 

Even many months later he was never sure why, but the boy leaned forward then and his lips joined his fingers on the smooth brow in a guilty, stolen kiss. He drew back in shock and surprise at himself, rubbing the back of his still grubby hand roughly across his mouth.

Damned Vamps and their cursed compulsions, he rationalised angrily to himself!

Should Aki leave an unconscious man alone? Someone would surely miss the head of Sion Inc when the offices opened in the morning he reasoned when he wavered in leaving him unattended but he had watched those hospital dramas with his grandmother when he was younger.

What if he choked to death?

What if he had some something leaking something somewhere out of sight?

Aki calmed himself, he would phone said Sion Inc. as soon as he got away from the danger zone and safely home. He rose, the overlarge shirt flowing down past his knees and billowing around him but his jeans were too tight for him to tuck it in to them so he just let it hang. Right, time to make his escape.

He took one last look at the recumbent vampire who certainly looked more comfortable on his cashmere cushion and headed towards the way out. Boy, did this guy believe in security he marvelled impressed by the number and complexity of the bolts attached to the large front door. Of course it was aiming on keeping people out not in so he easily unlocked the two mortise locks and the brass deadlock just slid free even in his small hands.

Aki pulled the door open a crack and peeked out into a well lit corridor, there was a stunning snow white orchid standing on an antique table at the one end of it and silver elevator doors at the other. The boy slipped out and as quietly as he could gently pulled the door closed behind him, wondering what floor they might be on and why there seemed to be no other apartment doors on this one. His soft soled shoes were silent on the plush white carpet and so he made almost no sound as he cautiously made his way towards the elevator. 

Creeping forward he was concentrating so hard on the mechanisms of the doors he failed to notice the recesses set into the wall on either side of it. Two impeccably suited guards were stationed there and in a split second of seeing him their two pistols were out of their holsters and aimed straight at the blond boy! 

Akihito shrieked as high and as loud as his young lungs could muster in fear and shock, throwing his hands as high up into the air in surrender as he high as he could reach! The huge snowy shirt flapped around his thin frame like birds wings and his voice only came out as squawking as he struggled to form coherent words in his panic.  

"Ai! Ai! Banshee, Undead!!" the men shouted back at him, their faces matching masks of abject terror their guns lining up on the slight blond!

A bullet hit the roof and another zinged by Aki's ear as he tried to placate them, throwing himself forward on to his knees to appeal for their mercy. Thinking themselves under attack from the supernatural ghost of their bosses latest meal their screeches vied with Akihito's both in volume and pitch. The boy hunched down into a ball in supplication, bowing his head and exposing the back of his neck in submission. The yakuza were having no such kind thoughts though and one of the guards gathered enough courage to place the cold barrel of his Nambu against the soft skin at the base of the youngsters skull, his finger twitching on its trigger!

"For fucks sake shoot it, Tenaki!" the other screamed in encouragement." Shoot it now!" 


	8. Hallway to heaven.

"Mercy!" whispered Akihito tremulously, his hands clutching his knees helplessly as he felt the icy kiss of the gun's muzzle at the nape of his neck.

"May the gods take mercy on you, ghost," Wailed the frightened yacuza closing his eyes as he prepared to squeeze the trigger on the gore splattered, ethereal youth." for I will have none."

"HALT!" The power in the loud voice froze everyone in their place. Akihito was curled into a ball his eyes squeezed shut and his chin tucked into his chest in fear, shaking as if with a fever. The two bodyguards were made as still as any statue, held fast by shock and the compulsion implicit in those word's.

Asami leaned against the frame of his apartment door the tattered remains one of his favourite gold ties hanging from his wrists, hair dishevelled and eyes brittle, golden mirrors, he stared at the three men grouped by the elevator doors. His breath sounded harsh and heavy even in his own ears as he tried to steady himself against the wood, his head still swimming.

Could that unbelievably impudent brat have struck him? He slid his hand up to his forehead tentatively prodding at the source of his pain and feeling a lump the size of a goose egg just behind his hair line and hissed!

Dammit that really stung!

What the hell had happened? How on earth did the little blond manage to confound his compulsion like that let alone raise a hand against him? The man inhaled deeply to gather his wits about him as he made his way down the corridor to where the others were still frozen. At his approach the boys hands tightened on his knees in his...

"My dress shirt!" Asami gasped out in surprise!" That is my hand made cotton dress shirt!" 

He reached his hand down and grabbed the slight body by the scruff of his neck dragging him up and turning him round till his sharp golden eyes were glaring into hazy blue ones! 

"That shirt cost 60,000 yen!" his voice was low and mean as the boy hung limply from his grip." You have put blood all over it, whelp!"

There was a pause in which the younger man seemed to be trying to speak although no words came out of him and Asami was instantly entranced by his beautifully rose tinted lips as they moved a little. 

"Release!" Asami instructed in frustration to dispel the strong compulsion he had commanded.

"And whose fault is it that I am covered with MY OWN blood," the boy angrily blurted out when that luscious mouth was released." Mr. Smart Ass Vampire?"

"Tsk!" Asami scoffed at the retort and rolled his eyes, dropping the youth into a crumpled heap on the floor as the adrenaline oozed from his slight body. The two henchmen recovered enough to aim their guns back down at Aki, glaring at the youth but waiting for their bosses orders before fulfilling their obvious desire to shoot him.

"Please stop that," Aki asked the pair quietly after a minute, gesturing vaguely towards their pistols." those are making me very nervous!"  

The suited pair glanced at Asami for clarification and the big vampire looked down as the boy shuffled over to rest his back against the wall and saw that rebellion was only still visible as a spark in those tired, expressive eyes.

"Stand down," he ordered his men who reluctantly dropped their weapons before Asami offered his hand to help the boy up." he poses no threat."

"I would tell your skull that," Aki muttered , pointedly ignoring the proffered aid and instead using the wall to wearily rise to his feet before dusting himself off," if I were you, Vamp."

The guards whose mouths had dropped open at the boys bare faced cheek stood waiting for their boss to strike the youngster dead where he stood. 

"Vamp?" the crimelord huffed out a laugh instead, this boy was a gift that just kept giving he thought." It is twenty years since anyone has had the cheek to call me that to my face and lived, you audacious brat!"

"Then someone of your age," the boy continued sticking out his little chin stubbornly and inspecting his own stained and tattered appearance withdismay." should have more respect for others than to try to murder innocent photographers! Look at me I am a wreck!" 

"I am old too?" the big man smirked." Well, why don't you come back to this old vamp's apartment and clean yourself up then?"

"What? So that you can drink me dry?" the boy said licking his pink lips and looking over at the elevator as if considering escape." I don't think so!"

The Alpha was watching the boy weigh up his options, admiring his courage when surrounded by insurmountable odds. The three, well armed vampires could easily have taken out a squad of human soldiers let alone one delicately boned youngster like him but he still seemed undaunted and Asami could not help but feel a grudging respect for that. Added to that he was a disarmingly enchanting little thing physically, all lithe, smooth skin and wild fair hair making the package that was Takaba extremely attractive even to Asami's long jaded pallet. His thoughts easily strayed beyond the rich red wine that ran in the boys veins to other pleasures he might offer. But certainly not here in the hall with his two nervous bodyguards in attendance!

"I will not kill you." the vampire offered generously, adding a tang of compulsion to ease things along." If you come back inside with me now!"

"You will not kill me?" the boy raised a shapely, unimpressed eyebrow." I have heard the stories about your sort! I would probably be better off dead than to have you just enslave me?"

Your sort? Could the boy get any more adorable thought Asami, his amber eyes now glittering with amusement and unmistakable desire."

"What if I give my word," he purred, deepening his command enough that his canny guards recognised its power and began to cautiously back away a few steps." that you will be left both alive and free?"

Akihito was watching Asami and his bodyguards suspiciously. 

"You are doing that thing again aren't you?" the boys eyebrows creased together in an angry V." Stop it!" 

"Thing?" Asami asked with a genuine smile at the others peeved expression, leaning back against the wall and drawing his long fingers nonchalantly through his long black hair.

"Just stop that too!" grumbled the boy wishing that the man before him was not so drop dead gorgeous already without all that touchy feely stuff going on to confuse him further. There he went again! Damn it, he thought he had himself sorted with this compulsion stuff but no, there was an undeniable surge of attraction towards his deadly host washing through him again." Or there is no deal!"

"Ah," Asami replied moving closer to stand over his boy with a smirk." then we ARE in negotiations then!"

"What? No," the youngster stammered leaning away from the close proximity of the big man's ridiculously alluring scent." well, not really!"

"Just come back and have something to eat with me." the man's deep voice rumbled so deeply that the boy could not help but begin to be beguiled. Asami followed his advantage through by slipping a gentle but firm hand round the boys narrow waist and letting it come to rest against the small of his back. 

"E..e..eat?" The boys blue eyes were becoming less sharp and there was a hint of confusion in his expression. At last, thought Asami!

"Come on inside," he coaxed, gesturing his men back into their posts with his free hand while guiding the boy's hesitant steps back towards his door." and I will show you."

"And you promise you wont kill me?" the boy asked hesitantly, pausing in the doorway and looking back to where the other yakuza's were now watching them intently from there positions either side of the elevator doors. Aki shook his tousled head a little, still trying to clear his thoughts so Asami rested his other large hand on to the boys thin shoulder to further strengthen the compulsion.

"I promise." the vampire whispered reassuringly in the pale ear.

"And you will set me free?" the boy said literally dragging his heels despite Asami's best cajoling.

"Yes, yes," the vampire's breath was honey sweet blowing his words onto the soft skin of the others neck and giving him a gentle shove to back them up." In the morning when you are rested."

"The morning?" the boy queried dreamily. "I...I...I must get to work in the morning!"  

"Indeed," the other cooed." when we are rested!" 

"Rested? Yes I am rather tired just now." Aki agreed softly, almost sleepily as he took the step that put him back across Asami's threshhold again. "The morning will be fine." 

Behind his boy's back Asami's thin lips drew upwards into an unreadable smile as he closed the door, bolting it with a quiet but reassuring click. He was smiling even more broadly as he helped his delectable guest back into his parlour to settle him on the soft leather of his sofa once more. In there little 'deal' there had, of course, been no mention of **which**  morning the other might see his freedom after all! 


	9. Eating in.

The elaborate door closed and even through his compulsion fuelled daze Aki felt his stomach give an ominous lurch at the sound of the bolt being slid into place. Asami's broad hand guided him steadily towards where he had previously slept and he allowed his tired body to slump down on the luxurious surface.

"I do not feel right." he admitted woozily, leaning his head back and closing his eyes to try and stop his world from turning." Did you do that damned Alpha thing again?" 

He watched drowsily as the older man opened a drinks cabinet and took out a bottle and two stubby glasses before returning and placing them carefully on the low table in front of him.

"It is late and I would imagine you are tired." The other said placing an inch of some dark drink in his hand and wrapping his small fingers around the tumbler with his big ones." Here, this will help."

"What is it?" Aki asked lifting his drink and peering at it suspiciously.

"It is 10 year old Malt." Asami said sitting in a chair across from him and he found himself staring as the other crossed his long elegant legs. Long, strong, elegant le... Wait, those thoughts were not appropriate Aki chastised himself, shaking his head to clear it and dragged his mind back to a healthier line of thought.

"Is it foreign?" he tried, feeling a little stronger, returning to the safer subject of his drink. Asami stared at him coolly.

"There are a few Japanese lables," the yakuza took a sip of his own and seemed to hold it for a moment in his mouth before swallowing." along with American and Irish, this is one of my favourites it's from Glenmorangie, Scotland."

"Hmm." the boy sniffed at it tentatively, wrinkling his nose at the sharp smell in what Asami thought to be an adorable manner." I am not really that fond of spirits." 

"So," he goaded with a sly smile." you are what they call a lightweight?"

"Hey!" Aki glared, responding as the older man had hoped and pouting his luscious lip out but what he had not anticipated was that the boy then raised his glass and knocked back its contents in a oner!

"WAIT!" the yacuza said his eyes widening in disbelief at the boy's treatment of his best scotch!" That is not...!"

Too late! The youngster leapt up holding his throat and dropping the glass with his other, his face contorting in shock as the river of liquid fire scorched down his throat. Alarmed Asami rushed to the boys side, slapping his back as the other gasped for air as his lungs seized up with the strength of the whiskey he had just ingested at such a foolish speed. The boy danced on the spot then bent over hands on his knees, his face radish red until eventually he wheezed in a painful breath with his eyes watering and his chest heaving. As he recovered so did the older man's mood as amusement replaced anxiety and as he eased the panting boy back into his seat and crouched down in front of him, he actually found himself laughing out loud at the other's discomfort.

"Water, Asami san!" the boy gasped still clasping at his throat with one hand and scrubbing away the tears streaming down his cheeks with the back of the other.

"Fu fu fu." the other man chortled patting the slight shoulder affectionately before rising to go to the kitchen. When he returned the boy was still sitting rubbing his stomach but his breathing had eased somewhat, he looked up with accusing watery blue eyes and accepted the can Asami held out to him." The sugar will ease your throat, you funny thing."

"I am glad I amuse you so much." the blond's voice was roughened by the drink and some other heat mixing with the whiskey's in the pit of his stomach." Did you try and kill me with that fire water on purpose?" 

"I enjoy it," the other defended sitting opposite him once again a smile still lingering on his lips." but you are meant to sip it not gargle with it!" 

"How was I to know?" the smaller man grumbled taking a longer draft of his fizzy drink and looking over to where Asami was looking ridiculously relaxed and attractive." I usually drink beer." 

"Oh, of course." Asami agreed and Akhito glanced at him sharply for any sign of mockery but the other's face was an impassive mask. At that moment the boys stomach let out a loud rumble and a fine black eyebrow raised in query." Would you like to eat something to silence that?"

"I am hungry," the boy admitted looking away with embarrassment and fascinating Asami all over again by flushing a brilliant red." but your kitchen looked pretty empty."

"You were in my kitchen?" the others cool mask did not slip, even for a moment. 

"I am sorry, but, yes." the boy looked at him nervously then let out a weary sigh. 

"And in my wardrobe?" he gestured at the stained shirt the boy was wearing and then displayed his ruined tie hanging limply from his tanned wrist.  

"Yes, maybe." the blond head dipped in an abashed nod trying not to look at Asami's very male, classic beauty. 

"And," Asami was on a roll, enjoying every blush and squirm that lithe young body made." you used my Waterford lead crystal ash tray to hit me over the head with?" 

"You were trying to...!" the boy snapped back, goaded beyond his limit of embarrassment and the whiskey and sugar lending him Dutch courage. Then his face showed confusion." What were you trying to do anyway?" 

"I," Asami replied his handsome face calm as he took another sip from his glass." was merely trying to make you feel comfortable."

"Comfortable?" the pretty face screwed up suspiciously." You were going you drink me and, well, more!"

"Perhaps." the vampire agreed noncommittally." You must admit that you would make a tasty little morsel!"

" But I am a man," Akihito said somewhat aggrieved by the comparison." and if I remember through all that mumbo jumbo you were trying you agreed that you were one too!"

"And?" the older man smiled showing the smallest flash of fang to Aki's fascinated gaze as he rose from his seat and took of his jacket to lay it on the back of his chair before moving to stand closer to where the boy sat.

"You are doing it again!" Aki objected his blue eyes widening as he tried to rip them away from where a pink tip of tongue slowly swept along the curve of the other man's thin lips.

"I am only stretching my legs." Asami said placing his long hands on his hips and spreading his feet wider he arched his back like one of the great jungle cats. The boy could only sit and gawp at the glorious display of thick muscles that became evident where the silk of Asami's shirt was pulled tight across his Ab's. When the bigger man let out a long low moan Akihito shot up from his seat as though scalded.

"Food!" he squeaked in an embarrassingly high pitch. He cleared his throat and fixed his eyes on the kitchen door to stop them straying back to his host's body before trying to speak again." You promised me food!"

Asami admired the view of the lean body as the boy scuttled swiftly away from him into the kitchen and stood looking around doubtfully at all the polished, barren surfaces. The older man did not cook and indeed rarely ate here as he could eat at the finest of restaurants or at his own range of clubs but he hoped that the ever efficient Kirishima would not let him down.

"Here," he opened the huge fridge and was not disappointed by the range of pre prepared food lying therein. " What would you like?" 

"Oh my god!" The boys eyes widened with joy as he viewed the contents of the chiller before him like a child in a sweet shop." Did you kill me and I have gone to heaven?"

"This is your idea of heaven?" the bigger man felt himself smile again at the easy display's of emotion that seemed to dance across the blonds attractive face. as if it were becoming a habit." I could offer you so much more!"

"Mmmm!" the boy ignored the innuendo focusing only on the delicious edible array in front of him. Then reining in his enthusiasm with reality his expression turned a little wistful." What can I have?"

"Anything, everything?" the older man offered with a shrug." What is left the staff will have to throw away tomorrow anyway, I suppose."

"You are kidding me?" the boy was aghast having had many a plain Ramen for supper during his regular economically lean times. 

"Why?" the bigger man answered." The contents are refreshed each day." 

 "You throw out this kind of food every day?" Aki's expression was disbelieving, not understanding how anybody could be so carelessly extravagant." But the waste!"

"Surely," Asami smirked indicating a tray of high grade tuna steaks." you would not expect me to eat rotten fish?" 

"But..But.. No wait, forget it, big spender!" Aki's stomach was rumbling audibly again and he was shaking his head still staring hungrily into the fridge."  I am not going to start another argument when my stomach thinks you have already cut my throat and all this is just begging to be eaten! How much can I have? Where are the plates?"

"Help yourself." Asami offered and was both taken aback and amused by the sheer quantity of food that the small man could eat washed down liberally with the orange soda. Where on earth on that slender body could he put it all he wondered as the blond attacked his second well stacked plateful of delicacies with as much enthusiasm as his first.

"Mmmm, this is so unbelievably good!" the boy enthused a while later, closing his eyes with pleasure as yet another forkful of sushi slid down his throat. He looked over to where the older man was enjoying watching him while choosing a cigarette over eating and looked him up and down with curiosity unable to hide his admiration at the others ripped body." How are you not as fat as a pig when you could eat this every day?"

" Do you like what you see?" the man glanced down at his own body suggestively, amused by the others intense scrutiny and stirred by the sensual sight and noises of Aki's enjoyment of his food. 

"What is there not to like, Mr. Badguy, except for he scary vampire bit." he said pausing as he reached the end of his second helping, feeling delightfully replete but strangely light headed and gallus. Probably the strong whiskey was to blame for that." If I were a woman I would... well I just would!"

Asami laughed out loud again shaking his head and staring thoughtfully at his little guest. What a strange young man he was, insolent and polite, hot as Hades yet strangely naive and the gangster realised he had not me anybody as interesting and beguiling as him in many years, maybe ever. He decided in that moment with some surprise at himself, watching the scruffy, still grubby youngster in his oversized shirt (now liberally decorated with escaped sushi as well as his blood and with wrinkles that would never come out!) that he would let the boy live after all. The vampire looked at Aki pushed away his plate and leaned back in his chair patting his tight belly with his chin up and his eyes closed in the ecstasy of being well fed. He looked like an adorable, sleepy kitten, and yes, Asami thought, he would definitely leave him alive but definitely not leave him alone.

"Thank you, Asami san. That," Akihito sighed opening one eye to look across to his host before taking a deep draft to finish his can of orangeade." was the best meal I have had this year!" 

"You are welcome," the older man conceded gracefully a smile flickering across his lips." I am glad all that food went to such an appreciative home!" 

 "I am sorry, you have been kind after all," Now his hunger had been assuaged he was feeling much more relaxed, drowsy even, so that he had trouble focusing, He yawned." but it has been a long night." 

"I will show you the bedroom," Asami said standing." unless you would rather sleep on the sofa?"

"Bed!" Aki said quickly as he rose, the room began to spin a bit and Asami was there at his elbow to steady him." You..."

"Yes, Akihito," The older man enquired politely holding his thin arm while the boy stared up at him with confused blue eyes." I, what?"

" You didn't do your, you know," he twirled his long pale finger around in a circle, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he staggered unsteadily." your Alpha thingy again did you?" 

"No, I am offended," Asami assured as he steered the stumbling boy firmly towards the bedroom." I do not break a promise. "

"All right, all right, don't get touchy!" the blond said resting a small hand against the door frame and looking up at the handsome face above him curiously." I just felt... feel..." 

"Dizzy? Whiskey will do that to the inexperienced." Instructed Asami adding a bite of compulsion out of spite while guiding his unsteady feet towards the bathroom." You should shower first."

" Wha..., I don't think..." Aki protested trying to gather his thoughts as he began to be manoeuvred towards the en suite.  

"You are still covered with bits of road and vagrant among other things." The Vampire cajoled using his bulk to manhandle the boy forward and enjoying the warmth of the lean body where it pressed against him. 

"Hey!" he objected trying to use his small body to stop them." Hands off the goods, big fella!"

"Fellow." Asami drawled as they arrived in front of the large shower." Using slang is laziness!"

"OK, Stop!" Aki tried to dig his heels unsuccessfully in on the matt black tiles of the bathroom floor." I know where this is leading, Casanova!" 

"To the shower?" the other did not try and hide his smile turning the boy around to face him and beginning to unbutton the first of the buttons on his ruined shirt. 

"Hey," the blond ordered flapping his thin hands at Asami's." Stop, stop right now!"

Asami paused, how did the little beauty continue to resist his commands he wondered? And keep complaining? But he retreated, if only by a few inches.

" What are you doing?" the boy glared at him, his brows furrowing as he looked up into those compelling yellow eyes intently studying him." Were you planning on joining me?"

" No," Asami lied, almost sullen as the boy continued to resist his attempts at control. As an Alpha of an immensely powerful empire he was not used to being made to either wait or work so hard to get his way and it did not sit easily on his palate. He stared back at the attractive face and debated briefly just jumping on him and taking his dues but he took a deep breath to calm himself instead." I will wait in the other room." 

" Well..." the boy looked startled his mouth moving in unspoken words for a moment his blue eyes wide and conflicted before he finished speaking in a rush. " Well that is just not good enough!" 

"Wha...?" Asami's words were blocked along with his mouth as a warm, very soft pair of lips were clamped on to his own as the boy suddenly slid two slim, remarkably strong hands up to grip his hair and pull him down roughly into a clumsy but passionate kiss!


	10. Clean cuts.

Asami rolled backwards with the unexpected embrace as their lips found each others and seeing the slightly unfocused blue eyes a few inches from his own he drew back. The boy did too for a moment and then licking his pink lips experimentally he pulled the taller man back down to him in another clumsy but enthusiastically delivered kiss. Aki's smaller lungs made him break away first the next time and by then Asami had had enough time to reinstate his smug demeanor.

"Now that is more like it!" the boy said with a sigh before leaning back in towards the handsome yakuza again." One more for good luck?"

"Uh!" gasped Asami when the thin fingers gripped his hair again but this time above where the crystal ash tray had impacted on him from their previous tryst.

"Oh, sorry," apologised the boy his face flushing pink with dismay at having hurt the other not just once but twice in the same spot." I forgot, I am so sorry!"

"It is nothing!" Asami bent forward this time, keen to continue their pleasing contact.

"Tsk, nothing?" Akihito's worried blue eyes were focused on his hairline." Now I have made it bleed!"

The boy had drawn back a step and put one hand onto the broad chest while his other gently carded through the silky hair feeling across the lump there. The bigger man began to brush the obstructing digits away but Akihito was having none of it, the expression on his kindly face flitting between guilt and sympathy.

"Akihito, it is only a scratch," Asami assured him with a wry smile and a hefty dash of compulsion, running a manicured fingernail along the pale skin exposed by the loose neck of the boys shirt. He leaned in, keen to continue their kisses but to his annoyance the other tried to slip sideways and he had to suppress a growl, forcing himself to remain calm pushing the boy's slight body back with his own until they both met the wall with a jolt." believe me, I have had worse and lived!"

"Hey," the thin fingers slipped along the line of his hair again and the boy looked up at him, shaking his head, his eyes a little hazy in their focus." I felt your order thingy again, Asami Ryuchi!" 

"Well," Asami drawled resting his forehead on the soft hair and enjoying inhaling the blonds own crisp scent despite it being over-layered with the smells of their eventful evening." you are a slippery little thing and I would not like to loose you again!"

Aki shivered a little in his embrace, the other strong arms caging him in and the yellow, hypnotic eyes focusing on his as the other reached over his shoulder and turned on the many headed shower. He tipped his head back a little to regain his composure as Asami returned to undoing his buttons again but the boy allowed it this time without resistance resting against the cool of the tiles.   

" You seem very experienced at this." he whispered as the last button was released and a warm tobacco scented breath stirred the soft hair behind his ear.

"Well," Asami rumbled parting the cloth to allow his long hand to brush against the soft skin beneath." it is my shirt after all!"

The boy did not answer closing his eyes and letting the raw power that the bigger man emanated wash over him until one of the roaming fingers found a cut collected by his earlier escapades.

"Ssss!" Aki hissed flinching away from the others caress making Asami draw back and pull back the shirt further revealing not only a deliciously pale chest but also the scrapes and grime still clinging to it. He tutted at the damage done to the pristine whiteness of the smooth skin and pulled the shirt more carefully back over the thin shoulders pulling the boy forward to allow it to fall to the floor. Although he would have chosen to enjoy the view for longer as the older man loosened his tie and own buttons the boys eyes had grown more wary and a fresh tension pulled at the light muscles beneath his hands. Asami deftly pulled his shirt over his head before pressing back against the blonds small warm chest with his broad hard one his breath coming faster as he reached down to loosen the catch on the others skintight jeans. Akihito shifted against him then, the small hands reaching out but Asami was passed being diverted from his objective and snatched the thin wrists into his own hand, drawing them up against the wall over the youths head and leaning in to stop the objections that began to bubble up through that tempting mouth by crushing it in a demanding kiss. Buttons were popped and zips were loosened before he allowed the other's hands freedom as he bent to draw them both clear of their clothes.

Commando! Interesting, the yacuza thought with a leer as he recaptured the fragile wrists and all but lifted the lithe body towards heat of the shower without releasing them again. Free from the last of their clothes he pushed his bigger frame forward covering the blond with his hard muscled body and sucking a love bite swiftly into the others white shoulder. The boy jolted beneath him at that sudden flare of pain as Asami's weight pressed him back against the chill of the wall before slipping his well muscled forearm below the others soft rump, lifting him over the sill and into the waterfall of water.

The water was warm, bordering on hot already adjusted to Asami's personal preference of course and he enjoyed the gasp the sting it solicited from his burden as the powerful jets needled onto the bruises and abrasions on his skin. 

"Keep your hands there," he ordered the other, pushing the small hands firmly against the shower stall above his head once more before releasing them." I want to see what damage you have managed to do to yourself."

"Myself!?" the others blue eyes flew open, to Asami's amusement instantly sparkling with annoyance." Your henchmen kidnapped me then those....creatures in the park tried... and then you .. well... seduce me!!!"

"Seduce you?" the other smirked down at the youth again, although his eyes soon went back to their most agreeable inspection of the pale body. He slid an inquisitive hand around the narrow waist and sipped another bruising kiss through the water on to the graceful curve of bone on his shoulder." Where did you even read such an old fashioned word for what I am doing?"

"Ow! Back off, bat boy, are you calling me ignorant?!" the other complained dropping his hands to push the bigger man away." I am in here to get cleaned up and for you to help me to tend to my wounds not for you to take a snack!" 

"Fu fu," and the vibration of his laughter against his flesh made Akihito's eyes roll with pleasure." this creature of the night plans to make more than a snack out of you, kitten!"

"Not" the blonde huffed out an annoyed breath at use of the despised nickname and searching round him at the immaculate shower with his eyes." while I still smell of tramp and tarmac! Don't you possess a sponge or shower gel?"

"Of course." Still smiling at the boys reaction Asami reached out and pressed a button and a hidden shelf revealed itself.

"I don't need your best stuff, you show off, haven't you got any of the regular kind?" Aki grumbled flicking through the luxury items." How much do you spend on these brands?"

"The housekeeping..." the man began but Akihito raised a hand now holding the shampoo to silence him.

"Don't tell me," he grumbled." they know what you like and whoosh there it is!"

" As it should be!" the big man said relieving him of the soap, reaching for his natural, premier grade, Mediterranean sponge and lathered it up while releasing the boys hands." Now stay still!"

Aki could not deny, even to himself, how good it felt to have the slow firm strokes of the sponge drawn across his sore abused skin by this Adonis of a creature. As he watched his pleasure was only heightened by the knowledge of the close proximity of those large hands and hidden fangs that could rend him apart on a whim. The scent of the soap whispered expensive as did the creamy shampoo which allowed the smiling man to sculpt shapes in on the boys head.

" That is the one," Asami said giving a snort of laughter as he crafted a small, pale set of devils horns of the boys soft hair." very fetching!"  

"How old are you?" Aki chided looking across to the long mirror beside the sink before brushing the horns flat and dipping his head beneath the torrent to rinse out the soap. "Ouch!"

Asami had been concentrating on washing a series of scrapes marring the other's delicate flank when he loosened some grains of embedded gravel and his breath hitched as they left a fresh set of scarlet droplets of blood. He stopped his administrations watching as one welled enough of the delicious fluid to slowly creep down the wet skin in a thin, tempting trickle. The big man sank to his knees in a moment gripping the slim hips in his broad hands to hold Aki still and dipping his head forward to sip the red nectar, laving the area with his tongue after to catch any residue. The blond gasped looking down at the big man at his feet now hunkered before him and shrunk instinctively away when the gold eyes flared as he lunged forward at the sight of his blood.

"Hold still, boy, you are mine now!" Asami's deep voice had roughened and his fingers sunk into the soft flesh as his tongue moved across the grazes systematically licking his vampiric saliva, heavily laced with a heady cocktail of serotonin and compulsion, into the myriad of small cuts.

"Are you going to kill me?" the boy whispered his head spinning as he was exposed to the others touch, his eyes large and dark and bared skin slicking up in the steamy atmosphere of the shower.

"Hmmm," Asami's response was half thoughtful, half amused but unmistakably all predator as the slight body leaned into his touch as he ran his free hand up the exposed ladder of the boys ribs watching with fascination as they flexed with each breath under their fine covering of muscles. He dipped to kiss them then nip at the tight skin sharply, smiling as Aki curved away with a gasp as another bloody red rose was sucked into the soft snowy flesh of his belly." perhaps."

The boy's breath hitched at that but he did not draw back his mouth as the bigger man latched onto it again with added fervour tasting all and now working intently to prepare the young body for the luscious carnal pleasures he had to offer. Asami's lips slid lower following the tendons of his slender neck until the pulse flickered its delicious beat against them he inhaled taking in the scent of boy and soap and humanity with the humid air. Aki moaned as the man kitten licked at the delicate flesh before drawing it into his mouth to bring the liquor of his life to the white surface in a bright, scarlet flush. Asami's own heart sped and his thoughts thickened with need as his lips pressed into the soft warmth and he felt a familiar tingle in his palate as his fangs dropped into place.

Akihito was ready to accept him now, gasping and moaning as Asami's experienced hand tuned him like a musical instrument for his body to play that most ancient of music with. Should he let this glorious creature live beyond their coupling he mused as they moved together as one? Mortals lives were so short that it would almost be a favour to the little human if he were to die in the full blossoming of his youth and beauty. Humanity, as his father had pointed out to him in the dim distance of his childhood as they dined on a rival clan, was, after all, only a prey species put on the planet as tastily packaged sustenance for their kind. With the offering of his sparkling lifesblood Aki would be providing him with a fitting tribute to a specious so much higher up the food chain than his own. A pity that he would not have had time to sample all the earthly delights that the supple body promised to offer but that was just the way the world worked was it not?

Asami lifted himself away a little to enjoy the view of the others pleasure as they stayed locked in passion, both approaching their peaks. He was struck again by the boys beauty and how his expressive face mirrored the waves of his feelings so clearly in a way that if he had ever been able to display them then that ability was long lost to him. He ran his tongue around his own mouth feeling the serrated edge of his fangs now in place ready to receive the ultimate gift the human could give. He bent his head drawing his lips back as the boy let out a blissful moan and his loins spasmed in their release and he followed close behind biting hard and unforgiving into the warm meat of his throat.

The living blood flowed into his mouth like the finest champagne, its sparkle and brightness like no other he had ever tasted just as with every aspect of Akihito. The man gasped as it flooded his brain, immediately feeling intoxicated, his thoughts clouding with its impact and his limbs loosening as his senses went into overload.

Wait! That was not right Asami realised dimly as he was overwhelmed by the sensations and felt his knees beginning to buckle, his superior weight pulling them both into an inexorable slide down the tiled wall. He felt himself draw away as the others blood burned his lips and throat like no other, sliding hotly to rest in his belly like lava while they now sat, crumpled in the pan of the shower amid its steamy torrent.

"Hmmm." The boy spoke barely above a whisper into his ear as a slender hand rose to slip around his neck and up under the silky strands of ebony that lay against it. Supporting the weight of his head and looking down at him with a deep tenderness mixed with amusement and just a hint of pity he mused." What am I going to do with you now you are mine, my gorgeous Alpha?"

Akihito kissed him deeply once more flooding his senses with of the euphoric feelings of peace and contentment. So long used to his own way Asami looked up with his now clouded obsidian eyes into the sky blue ones and tried to struggle in the small blondes strong embrace but to no avail. He felt himself being drawn further down on to a cloud of lax muscled contentment as if he was fighting against an impossibly soft quilt and he felt his need to struggle against it slip away like sand seeping through his fingers.

"Are you going to kill me?" The crimelord asked quietly feeling the deathly calm wash across him and as he recalled some of the many times he had faced death over the years he thought it an irony that he would succumb to this pretty morsel he himself had invited in to his own home. The boys kindly eyes whirled with silver stars as a gentle smile parted his soft rose red lips and for the first time Asami caught a glimpse of his set of small, white, razor sharp fangs.

"Perhaps." Akihito answered in a voice as soft and beautiful as a drift of cherry blossom.


End file.
